A Record of A Mortal's Journey to Immortality

Chapter 46: The Piercing Sword

Doctor Mo looked slightly surprised as he glanced at his left hand, then shifted his gaze to Han Li and sneered contemptuously:

“Interesting. It seems that over the past year, you really haven’t been idle. You’ve actually practiced such a strange technique. But do you really think that with these few mediocre skills, you can be a match for me?”

“Looks like I haven’t used my hands for quite some time. It wouldn’t hurt to get moving again. I’ll let you make the first move!”

Han Li ignored the verbal taunts aimed at him. He had already decided to strike first, taking the initiative and gaining an advantage.

His short sword in his left hand was held horizontally in front of his body, drawing Doctor Mo’s attention, while from the right sleeve quietly slid down a small white paper package, landing in his right palm. Then, with a flick of his hand, a large cloud of white powder was scattered from the package, instantly transforming into a thick white smoke that enveloped Han Li’s entire body, making his figure blurred and indistinct, almost vanishing. The smoke quickly spread throughout the entire room, turning it into a white haze where one couldn’t see their own hand, and Han Li mysteriously disappeared into the mist.

Doctor Mo frowned at this unexpected move. Yet, in his heart, he was unbothered. With his seasoned experience, he had plenty of ways to counter such low-level tricks. Just to be safe that the smoke wasn’t tampered with, he held his breath. With his deep cultivation, holding his breath for three to five breaths was no problem at all.

“Hmph, petty tricks, and you dare to show off before me!” Doctor Mo snorted coldly, suddenly slapping the empty palm of his right hand into the smoke. The white mist seemed to churn as if stirred by a great rod, instantly forming a clear and large hole.

Seeing no trace of Han Li, Doctor Mo did not stop. He swung his arms left and right, repeatedly slapping into the mist more than ten times, driving all the smoke out through the door. The room returned to normal — except for the absence of Han Li.

“Strange, this kid really has some skill. He actually managed to make himself vanish right before my eyes,” Doctor Mo murmured with surprise, but felt no panic. After all, he had been watching near the door; not even a single insect could escape his notice.

He carefully scanned the entire room — the many bookshelves around, a desk, and a grand armchair — all as usual, nothing unusual. Yet Han Li, a living person, had somehow disappeared in such a confined space?

Doctor Mo’s expression remained unchanged, but doubts crept into his mind. Still, confident in his skill, he cleared his throat and shakily walked toward the corner where Han Li disappeared, intending to inspect carefully.

When he was about a yard away from the corner, he suddenly stopped, squinting his eyes. He sensed a faint but definite murderous intent lingering nearby, targeting him and ready to strike.

Doctor Mo’s eyes flashed sharply. He scanned left and right repeatedly but found nothing unusual. Frustrated, he thought, “There’s no one around. Could he have vanished into thin air?”

The thought of “vanishing into thin air” struck a chord, and he felt he might have grasped a key point. Just as he was about to ponder deeper, a sharp “clang” sounded above his head.

“Not good!” Doctor Mo suddenly realized his opponent was hiding on the roof eaves. Without looking up, he swung his hand upward with a fierce palm strike, aiming to knock out whoever was trying to harm him from above.

The loud rumble followed the palm strike, mixed with crisp “ding-dang” bell sounds.

Puzzled, Doctor Mo looked up carefully — but saw nothing but empty air. No shadow at all. Only a black iron bell hanging from a beam, swinging wildly under his palm wind, producing the ringing sound. There was no sign of Han Li’s figure!

As Doctor Mo gazed upward, a streak of cold light suddenly shot out silently from beneath his feet, rushing swiftly toward his abdomen. The speed was so fast that describing it as lightning would not be an exaggeration. It was only when the light was about to touch his clothes that Doctor Mo realized it.